Heart of a Phoenix
by Wolfhunter
Summary: It's been a couple months since the last battle with Saffron, and now Ranma has been having strange re-occuring dreams of his final battle.
1. Heart of a Phoenix Prologue

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi, not me.  
Takes place a couple months after Vol 38.  
Heart of a Phoenix  
  
Prologue  
  
Deep within the mountain of Mount Pheonix, a old man stood in front of a glowing ball of light.  
  
"Soon it will be time." he said quietly to himself, finishing what ever he had been doing at the time.  
  
"Yes. Soon he will awaken." a second voice came from behind him "Though trusting that fool was a mistake with him was a mistake and cost us more then we had expected."  
  
"But our king did survive, did he not?" the first asked, turning toward the second.  
  
"Yes, but it'll be a few years before we are ready for his accension and the Phoenix Tap in Jusendo will take much time to repair."  
  
"Of course. But it will all come to pass and we will be ready to begin." the old man stated.  
  
"You think he'll help us?"  
  
"Of course. He after all is one of us."  
  
"I have other things to tend to so I must take my leave." the second said while she bowed and began heading for the exit.  
Just before the second reached the door, the old man called her to wait.  
  
"What?" she said, slightly annouyed.  
  
The old man just smiled. "Be mind full of the cold water. Your other form really doesn't do you any credit."  
The woman glared angrily at the old man before she left the room.  
  
**************  
  
For the third time this month, ranma found himself watching his final battle against Saffron. Watching as he stood off to the side near one of the mountains steep edges. It was always the same dream. He would just stand there and watch while the image of himself fought the Phoenix god.   
But looking around this time, he notice a new face in the dream. The image of the Kima, but he noticed something strange about her. It wasn't that she had not yet gone to help her king but the look of recognition on her face. Who? he couldn't figure out.  
Slowly the wind started dieing down, revealing the two combatants, realizing that in his place, another winged person was fighting Saffron instead of himself.  
  
"What's going on?" he nearly yelled in confusion, kicking himself for forgetting that it was only a dream. At his angle he couldn't see the face of the unknown figure.  
  
"Ranma!" a voice seemed to yell at him quietly making him jump.  
  
"Wh, who's there?"  
  
"Ranma..." the voice started "Time to wake up!!"  
  
*Splash*  
  
Ramna jerked awake suddenly as the cold water began to drip for his, now her, hair.  
  
"What ya do that for?" Ranma yelled at the girl near the door, holding a now empty bucket.  
  
"Ranma, if you don't get up, we're gonna be late!" the youngest Tendo yelled before rushing off to do what ever she did in the morning.  
  
"Stupid tomboy." she muttered darkly.   
Quickly, she got up, dressed, and headed downstairs... 


	2. Heart of a Phoenix Part 1

Disclaimer: "Disclaimer? I'll show you a disclaimer!!"   
  
"Security!!!"   
  
"Ha ha ha... I was only..." *Takes off, followed by various men in uniform, wearing a badge indicating security, but manages to dodge around a corner, take a seat, and hide behind a newspaper. The guards stop to look at the man behind the paper*   
  
"Escuse me sir, but did you see a man run by here?" *Looking to the left. The man points at a slightly fat man in a white gi and bandana, slowly sneaking away.*   
  
"Stop! Security!" *The men chase after the departing martial artist, leaving the man behind the paper chuckling.  
  
"Suckers." the man chuckled as he smiled, before he feels a tap on the shoulder. He looks over his right shoulder only to see the person he basically told to 'shove it' with his fist cocked back.  
  
"This is going to hurt. Isn't it." the man pointed out.  
  
"Very." the other stately simply.  
  
"Would it helped if I begged?" the man asked hopefully. The other just shaked his head before giving him a sound beat down. A few minutes later the other man's security personel dragged the unconcious man to the room he tried to run from...  
  
----  
(Sorry about the above, but I was bored at the time of writing this, so don't comment about that.)  
  
Ranma was tired. No, he was exhausted, and he knew that if he couldn't finish this fight soon, there would be no way to win. Many things were going against him at this point. One, he was getting tired; two, most of his various friends and/or enemies were strewn about the battle, having been knocked out themselves or too tired to fight; three, his confidence was at an all time low. His Moko Takabisha almost to the point of being useless, and too tired to use the Shi Shi Hokodan. All that was left was special attacks that he sworn never to use, or won't use in fear of killing everybody.  
  
Not far from him, the winds of the Hiryu Shoten Ha blew in full force; the unatural tornado continuously being fueled by the frozen ground below and the heat radiating off of Saffron, the self proclaimed godling watching vigilantly for any attack Ranma may use. It was the very same look Ranma was mirroring. The Pheonix Tap was soo close yet so far. All he had to do was get past the one person to save Akane. It was simple as that; except for one problem, the person whom he had to get past to reach it.  
  
They stayed that way for minutes, as the winds started to ebb, the ice etched in a spiral pattern starting to melt. It was then that Ryoga had finally recovered enough to move. He couldn't believe how much damage had been done to the mountain. Large craters on the ground from the dodged or deflected Chi blasts. Tree rippped and tossed about from the winds of the chi induced tornado.   
Finally remembering what happened to Akane, he searched for her. No sooner then he found her, he saw the way toward freedom, as well as the way to save Akane's life. Taking in the situation, he looked up, to catch Ranma looking down at him determinatly from his perch one of the cliff faces of Jusendo. In a mutual nod, they both headed out to do their task. Ranma taking the chance to distract the godling while Ryoga made his way past to the Tap...  
  
----  
  
Hear of a Pheonix  
Part 1  
By Wolfhunter  
  
" " Japanese  
" " Chinese  
----  
  
"Now, Saotome, about the money you owe me. I think it's time you payed up." two guesses who that was.  
  
"What is it now? I'm too tired, and I have to train with pops in a little bit." Complained the young Saotome.  
  
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be? And to think I was going to help keep Kuno off your back." Nabiki exlaimed cheerfully.  
  
"Like that time you told Kuno that I enslaved his 'Pig-Tailed Girl'?" Ranma's Eyes narrowed.  
  
"I never said anything like that. He just twisted it in his own mind." Nabiki was offended, she didn't mean to do that; not that it didn't help her out in the end.  
  
"Whatever. I'll get you your money." Ranma started to turn around but was stopped as Nabiki, somehow, managed to get in front of him again, without him noticing.  
  
"How about this? I need you to get Akane out of our hair for awhile and thought a dat would cool her off a bit." the middle Tendo started.  
  
"And that's going to help how? You know how she is."  
  
"Just ask her out." Nabiki stated simply.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Trust me." Nabiki mentally kicked herself right after saying it. It came out so naturally, and she used it in context with most of her deals. Now whenever she does really mean it, other people tend to think otherwise. Well people other then most of her family that is. Ranma, well, stared as if she were crazy. The only reason he had avoided going on dates with any of them was the fact that they would most likely kill each other for going out with him, kill him for going out with one of them, or both. Of course there are worse fates. He could be stuck in a space station, locked in his cursed form alone with Happosai and a stack full of womans underwear. *Shudder*  
  
'Thinking of the old pervert. Where'd he dissapear off to?' Ranma thought, 'It's actually pretty quiet lately. Maybe he decided to take of and leave us alone.'  
  
"Woohoo!! What a haul! What a haul!!" came the joyful cries of said man as he ran through the streets of Nerima, a mob of various girls chasing after him.  
  
"Or not." Ranma completed the thought before coming back to the present. "Anyway... I don't know."  
  
"What's the harm?" she asked.  
  
"Come on Nabiki. You know what the others will think. Not to mention what Akane would do. You know she'll refuse."  
  
"Try it. You might be surprised." Nabiki finished. "I'll handle the others if it comes to it. They owe me anyway." Then started to head toward the kitchen, planning on getting something to drink, and maybe a few snacks to hold her over til Kasumi had finished dinner.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Ranma said to Nabiki just before she turned the corner.  
  
"What? Can't a sister do something nice for her own sister?" Turning back around, feining innocence.   
  
"Only if there's something in it for you."  
  
"Saotome, I'm hurt. Do you really think that it's all about money for me? For that, you're going to have to take me to dinner as well, your treat of course." Nabiki smiled then finally headed off.  
  
"... I'm screwed." No one argued otherwise.  
  
----  
  
"Kima, there have been reports of strange activity coming from the amazon village not too far from here. It appears that they are massing. For what I'm still not sure. It's almost like they are preparing for war." One of the newly trained scouts reported, slightly winded form the flight.  
  
"And of Lord Saffron?" The winged captain of the guard inquired. Even after the rebirth of their king, the little godling was too mischievous for his own good.  
  
"Still missing. No one had spotted him for over a week. And with the Musk dissapearing, and the Amazon's amassing, I'm worried about him." the scout continued, the nervousness showing clearly in his features.  
  
"Is there anything else?" Kima had also noticed this. So the Musk dissapeared, nothing that the Pheonix could not fight back should they decide to attack. The Amazon's were not a worry either. They had no power that could match up to King Saffron.  
  
"Umm... Well, Herb of the Musk Dynasty was found as well. He was, apparently severly injured. He's with the healers at the moment." the scout almost squeaked in fear as Kima suddenly turned fully toward him, anger fully blazing in her eyes.  
  
"Are you crazy?! Bringing the Prince of the Musk in here!!!" She screamed, blowing the young warrior off his feet, and onto the floor in surprise and fear. Flinching every time Kima's voiced raised as she started to rattle on incoherently about how the Musk King should have been delt with. One less enemy would be better then letting them within the protection of their walls.  
  
"Actually, that was my idea." Said a figure that came out of a door previously hidden to those in the room.  
  
"You!! Why the hell did you believe that this was a good idea?!" She fumed, almost ready to snap at both the figure and the scout.  
  
"You'll find out in time." he continued as he helped the poor scout up to his feet then proceeded to usher him out.  
  
"And what exactly will happen that'll explain why it was a good idea to bring HIM within our walls." Kima continued after the door was shut.  
  
"Now that's... a secret." the figure smiled before heading out the door he previously came in before he could face the wrath of Kima, Captain of the Guard of Pheonix Mountain.  
  
"Argh!! That man is really starting to get on my nerves." She practically yelled...before she was struck by a large amount of cold water becoming a familiar short haired girl which a lot would come to love, hate, or both.  
  
"Cool off." And once again the figure dissapeard out the door, shortly before Kima could blast him.  
  
Finding some hot water a few minutes later, she decided to get some training in to calm herself down before she went down to the healer's to talk to the Musk Prince.  
  
----  
  
Kasumi had just finished dinner when a disheveled Genma Saotome jumped over the wall in near blind panic.  
  
"Oh. Welcome home Saotome-san. I just finished dinner." Said the eldest without looking, while putting the food on serving dishes, and getting ready to serve it.  
  
The Saotome patriarch thanked Kasumi before joining Soun in the tea room for something to drink. He didn't expect the surprised gasp coming from his old friend.  
  
"Saotome! What happened to you?" Soun looked his friend over, seeing various bruises, as well as various tears on his gi.  
  
"Don't worry old friend. I was just helping someone get away from a bunch of people chasing after him. Nothing a little rest and a soak in the furo won't solve. The life of a martial artist is fraught with peril after all." Genma explained as he tried to sit down, his aching body protesting the whole way.  
  
A few minutes later, the table had been set up and all the dishes were placed, as the rest of the residence entered to eat dinner. The last being Ranma, in his cursed form, grumbling about a miss-fired water hose coming from a fire-truck trying to put out a fire a little over a couple blocks from the Dojo.  
  
Dinner had actually gone pretty quietly, with Genma to tired to fight with Ranma over food, and Ranma too pre-occupied about his earlier dream. So pre-occupied that he had missed Nabiki trying to kick him from under the table, indicating what she wanted Ranma to do. Ranma had finally sternly felt the third attempt, as she had missed his leg. Grimacing, he looked toward his assailant, only to see the annouying expression on the middle Tendo. No one else had noticed.  
  
Do it now Nabiki mouthed, hoping that Ranma would get the message.  
  
What? he got the message.  
  
Ask her Nabiki continued subtly motioning toward Akane.  
  
Slightly panicking, he shook his head. Motioning that they would go crazy. Akane had noticed this though, thinking that he was insulting him, she fumed.  
  
"Crazy! Is that what you think?!" Akane yelled, surprising everyone.  
  
"That's not what I said you stupid tomboy!" 'Uh that didn't come out right.' Ranma thought, and he was right as Akane seemed to glow.  
  
"Ranma no Baka!!!" She slamed the nearest and heaviest object in the vicinity onto Ranma before charging out.  
  
"Wow, Akane's sure been on edge lately." The room went quiet at Genma's pointless observation. Then sighed before putting the table back in place, then putting the food that they managed to take get off back, leaving the twitching Ranma be.  
  
'Saotome, we're going to have a long talk about keeping your mouth shut when we're done.' Nabiki thought as she found that Kasumi had decided to go with a new recipe.  
  
----  
  
Authors Note: Now that was fun. I really don't have anything to say at the moment so I won't. And for those who think she snapped a little too easily, well, she was on edge for some time and was wearing away on her already almost none existant patience. I guess that's it for now.  
  
Wolfhunter 


End file.
